Just as I was Setting Down for Tea
by Alverrann
Summary: I've always personally felt that the Doctor, despite his overall dislike concerning goodbyes, would still find a way to properly say goodbye to everyone who really meant something to him. This is just one imagining of a scenario like that. A sort of tribute, if you will.


**I know, I know. I ought to be writing my other stories! I just had to write this one-shot down! It popped into my head, and then it wouldn't go away, so here you are.**

 **I've always personally felt that the Doctor, despite his overall dislike concerning goodbyes, would still find a way to properly say goodbye to everyone who really meant something to him. This is just one imagining of a scenario like that.**

 **While this story by all rights ought to belong to Harry, Sarah gets it, as that felt better for the feeling that I wanted to convey. Perhaps I'll write a companion piece to it someday that is Harry's. For now, this is what you get. :)**

* * *

Sarah sighed as she sat down with the mail. The newest man on the job had just met K9 for the first time, and she'd been forced to go out and placate him, since he seemed to think that the harmless (for the most part) robot was attacking him. She'd really had a job talking him out of reporting it, and as a result was in a bit of a mood.

Most of the mail was standard, run of the mill sort of stuff, and she put it on the desk in annoyance before she'd even finished going through it all. She just didn't feel up to doing the work that it presented right at that moment, and sorely wished that there was a way out of it.

Of course, she could think of a very good way out of it, but it was so far off … so impossible.

Yet, if she could only be out there, … with …

After a moment of looking wistfully through the window, her eyes fell once again on the pile. She stared at it in grim reluctance, then spread it out on the desk. As a result, she discovered that in the midst of all the work and tedium, there lay a crisp envelope that she hadn't noticed the first time 'round.

She plucked it from the bunch, scanning the neat lettering on the front that spelt out her name and address in a hand that she instantly recognised.

"Harry," She said to the letter, though she suspected that it already knew.

Sarah opened it with curiosity, since he normally sent letters two or so weeks apart. His last letter had come in just the week earlier, and he would be the first to admit that he liked to stick to his ways.

That made this letter a bit odd.

She had to smile at his neat lettering within, tidy and professional; as per usual.

 **DW~Letter~DW**

 _Dearest Sarah,_

 _Sorry to write you so early after my last letter, I know it's not quite what I normally do, and yet, today hasn't been quite normal._

 _You know that what I do for a living, well, suffice to say, you know that I can't tell you much. Yet I will tell you that I was only recently given a new assignment. I'll soon leave for it, though that's not why I'm writing this letter, so don't worry on my account._

 _I'm writing because just as I was setting down for tea, the most unexpected visitor came by; though in retrospect, I ought to have expected it, oughtn't I? Sorry for being cryptic, but I'm sure that I've at least piqued your curiosity, eh Sarah?_

 _Anyhow, I'll explain._

 _Just as I was getting ready for tea, the Doctor popped in. Well, I knew it was him before he came out, since I heard the sound. I was so surprised! Yet there it stood; the good old TARDIS._

 _Then the Doctor came out, just as he'd always looked, with the smile and the scarf. He was wearing his forged smile–you know the one–he always puts it on when he's sad but he doesn't want you to know._

 _Anyhow, I never got the chance to ask him what was happening or going on, because he immediately said hello and gave me one of his terribly grippy handshakes before sitting down and drinking my tea! He did thank me for it though, and in his typical way wandered around and ignored my questions as he complimented and insulted how I live._

 _After a while I gave up and showed him the place, then told him how I was doing. He still seemed very distracted throughout the entire conversation, and yet dodged answering why whenever I asked him._

 _Finally, he asked me if I would like to go with him to see the Crystal Caves of … well. Suffice to say that they were Crystal Caves–just for a short holiday._

 _I was very surprised, to say the least. I was surprised that he would want me along, but also that he would ask, when I've truly been getting on in years, and I don't think I'm quite young enough to go gallivanting about the whole of the universe quite like I once could. It wasn't really much my cup of tea from the beginning, anyhow._

 _So I told him that it would be better if I stayed._

 _He looked even more sad then, but he smiled even bigger. So I suggested that he go talk to you. I said something about how you would jump at the chance of a holiday in some caves on an alien planet. He smiled bigger then, but shook his head. He said that you weren't the one who needed the holiday._

 _I was confused then, and I told him as much. I'm not certain what he meant still, but he said that you're place was on Earth, and he couldn't keep you from it any longer. He also said that you were his best friend, and that you deserved a chance at your own life._

 _Well. Soon after that, our conversation was over, with him stating that he had to leave. He told me to write you, and so that's what I've done. It's been a long time since I've seen him, but he hasn't changed a bit. I'm not certain as to why he visited me, and why he didn't visit you, but I've never been quite certain of anything when he's around._

 _Now you know, Sarah, and I'll see you in two months, where you can kick me properly for not calling you over the instant I heard the TARDIS._

 _In the meantime, I do hope that you're well, and that this letter finds you in good health._

 _Harry_

 **DW~Letter~DW**

Sarah just sat for a moment after reading, not quite sure what to think.

The Doctor had come back?

For Harry?!

She stood suddenly, her feet propelling her to her phone where she promptly called up the Brigadier. Forget waiting two months; she was going to talk to Harry now!

"Lethbridge-Stewart, here."

"Brigadier-"

"Ah, Miss Smith. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I've got to talk to Harry, and I don't care if he's off on a mission for- for the Queen! I want to talk to him now."

"You know very well that he's no longer assigned to UNIT-" The Brigadier began, but Sarah wasn't going to have it.

"Look I know you've got connections. If you could just get me on with Harry …?"

The Brigadier hummed for a moment before finally replying, "I'll look into it."

"Oh thank-"

"Hold."

"Right." She fell silent as the other end did the same. She could only hope that the Brigadier patched her through.

She ended up humming a little to alleviate boredom as she waited, anticipating the "old girl" that she would inevitably hear on the other end. Ooh, she couldn't believe that Harry had turned the Doctor down! And yet, of course he had; it was so like him.

She also didn't quite know what to think about what the Doctor had said concerning her. She loved nothing more than being called his best friend, but if being his best friend meant that he cared enough to force her back into life on Earth … perhaps she didn't want to be a best friend.

Either that, or it was another of the Doctor's classic question dodgers, where he never really explained himself fully.

She didn't get any more time to dwell on that thought though, as just then the line crackled back to life, "Miss Smith? Er, Sarah Jane?"

"Brigadier." She answered, smiling at his awkward attempt at her first name before adding teasingly, "Alistair."

"I'm afraid I have … rather, er, bad news."

Immediately the awkwardness changed to something much more dreadful, and she realised that it had been why he'd sounded so strangely uncomfortable in the first place, "Bad news?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat, "Doctor Sullivan has been reported MIA."

Sarah stood stock still at that, not answering- no. Unable to answer.

"That's missing in action-"

"I know." She flinched a little at her own clipped tone, then softened it to ask, "H-how long?"

"Three days. Still no sign." Brigadier sighed.

"Oh. Well, thank you for finding out." She could hear that her own voice lacked emotion, and as a result, there was a pregnant pause before the Brigadier tried;

"Are you … are you quite all right, Miss-"

"Yes." She put more resolve behind the words, trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince him.

"Well then. I- … have business to attend to. If you need anything though, don't hesitate to call."

"Of course." She knew she sounded dead again, but she couldn't force any more emotion into her tone, "Thanks."

"Right. Until later."

'I expect I must be in shock.' Sarah thought to herself as she hung the phone on its receiver.

She walked slowly back to her desk, sitting down to stare at the letter. There was Harry's handwriting, plain as day. 'Harry could be dead now.' Her mind reminded her, and yet, she couldn't bring herself to quite believe it as she imagined him exclaiming, "I say," while the Doctor drank his tea.

The thought brought a smile to her face.

The letter dated three days earlier, and she found herself holding back tears. Harry had written her just before he left, it seemed–thanks to the Doctor–and yet she hadn't even gotten to see him one last time ...

At least the Doctor had been able to say goodb-

 _Oh._

"Oh."

Sarah took in a shallow breath at the realisation. "Oh, Doctor. Then that was why you visited Harry. You knew. You came to say goodbye …"

It explained the Doctor's whole visit; the offer to go with him, the sad smile … all this from the childish Time Lord who hated goodbyes.

A tear escaped Sarah's eye even as she smiled once more.

Perhaps she _could_ wait.


End file.
